The present invention relates to an automatic exchanging apparatus for exchanging cops in a shuttle-type loom. More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic cop exchanging apparatus for exchanging an old cop received in a shuttle with warp threads for a new cop.
In general, in a conventional loom employing shuttles, opening operations for repeatedly separating the wefts into upper and lower groups are repeatedly performed, while simultaneously the shuttle incorporating therein the warps is passed between the upper and lower wefts in synchronism with the opening operation. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the conventional shuttle 1, which has generally a boat-like shape, has a recess 1a which receives an elongated cop 2 around which the threads of the weft 4 are wound. A tong is provided in a rear portion of the recess 1a mounted so as to be rotatable through about 90.degree. so as to be movable from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The cop 2 is received in a horizontal position within the recess 1a under the condition that the tong 3 is inserted into a hole 2a formed in the bottom of the cop 2. Then, the wefts 4 are extracted to the outside through a hole 1b formed in the front portion of the shuttle 1.
With this construction, the amount of weft 4 held within the shuttle 1 decreases as the shuttle performs its reciprocating motion. When the weft has been completely consumed, it is necessary to stop the operation of the machine. Therefore, in the conventional machine, when it is observed that the remaining amount of the weft 4 is small, the operator, who, for this purpose, must stand by the machine, must manually perform the exchange of cops. That is, the weft of the old cop, which has nearly been expended, is cut and the old cop manually removed from the shuttle 1. Then, a new cop is loaded into the shuttle 1, and the new and old threads are tied together.
Generally, therefore, it is necessary that an individual operator be assigned to each loom during its operation since the cops 2 must be replaced frequently. This of course is a major factor in the total labor costs for operating the loom. Also, since looms employing high speed shuttles are inherently very noisy, the operator may fatigue easily.
Thus, it is desirable to reduce the cost of operating a loom while simultaneously improving the quality of the working environment around the loom. In the prior art, however, due to the complexities of the operations involved in handling the threads, automation of the cop-replacing operation had not been attained.